Event Coordinator

Event Coordinator

Bookends & Beginnings in Chicago’s North Shore university town of Evanston seeks a full-time Event Coordinator at our newly relocated store. The ideal candidate will be familiar with the Chicago literary community and will have event-planning experience. The Event Coordinator will be responsible for overseeing 75-100 events a year, mostly in the bookstore and sometimes offsite. Most events are book launches, but in our new space, which includes a bar, we intend to explore other types of programming (think trivia night; literary karaoke, etc!). The Event Coordinator should also be comfortable working as a general bookseller at the store in order to gain familiarity with store procedures and with our customer base.

About the store: Opened in June 2014, Bookends & Beginnings has become a major presence in Chicago’s independent bookstore community. Our newly located store at 1620 Orrington Ave carries new books, used books, and gifts. We regularly hold both in-person and virtual author events and frequently partner with organizations in Evanston and the great Chicago area.

Bookends & Beginnings is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to create a kind, safe, and welcoming space where everyone is treated equally, fairly, and thoughtfully, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, gender, sexual orientation, or ability. We value the diversity of identities and experiences our staffers bring to our store because they enrich the selection of books we carry and the conversations that we conduct. We expect that everyone - booksellers and customers alike - uphold these standards online and in our shared physical space.

Your resume will only be considered if accompanied by an articulate cover letter.

Daily Activities:

• Coordinating closely with the store owner, staff, and the Programming Director of Bookends University, our educational events arm.
• Writing persuasive author event proposals and working with publishers, authors, and publicists to promote book events.
• Planning and carefully managing event logistics, including:
• Fielding emails from authors and publicists.

Posting events on the bookstore website, Eventbrite, and Facebook.
Working most events, including set up and breakdown, writing and delivering author introductions, overseeing event logistics.

• Coordinating with Bookends staff to ensure copies of books for events are ordered in sufficient quantity.
• Following up with publishers, authors, and publicists to deepen relationships and suggest future collaborations.
• Assisting in planning other special events, including Independent Bookstore Day and Small Business Saturday.
• Training and working as a bookseller for regular shifts in order to gain familiarity with the store and our customers.

Requirements:

• Love of books and love of talking about books
• Positive attitude: Friendly, approachable, professional, collaborative, oriented toward problem-solving and brainstorming.
• Ability to master POS system and other programs we depend on to keep the store functioning.
• Ability to lift 40 lb boxes.
• Willingness to commit to a regular permanent work schedule (i.e. we cannot accommodate seasonally changing student schedules and vacations)
• Willingness to work at least one weekend day. The store will eventually revert to longer/later hours and will expect the willingness to work some later shifts and evening events.
• A high level of organization, especially when managing calendars, high volumes of email, and time-sensitive tasks.
• A high level of written and verbal communication skills.
• A high level of interpersonal skill and the ability to collaborate well with others.
• A creative, innovative, and entrepreneurial approach to event programming.
• Availability and willingness to work a mix of days, nights and weekends.
• Access to a car for offsite events

Experience we are especially looking for:

• Familiarity and experience with bookselling. Social media also a plus.
• 1 years of events programming experience.

Compensation/Benefits

We offer competitive pay, two weeks paid vacation, 8 days paid store holidays, paid sick time, 401K plan and health insurance stipend available after an initial wait period.

Opportunity for bonus compensation by doing shifts at our new MiniBar, where canned and bottled single-serving alcoholic beverages will be offered (i.e. no pouring, mixing, or other actual bartending involved)

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: From $37,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Shift:

• 8 hour shift

Weekly day range:

• Weekend availability

COVID-19 considerations:

Currently masks are optional, but staff members must be vaccinated and boosted.

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Evanston, IL 60201: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: On-site

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $37,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Shift:

• Day shift

Weekly day range:

• Weekend availability

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Evanston, IL 60201: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $37,000